Category Archives: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka day 20 – Nuwara Eliya to Ella

The train to Ella is delayed by an hour so we spend the time standing chatting to a New Zealander and his Japanese partner.  We have bought 2nd class tickets for this two-and-a-half hour journey, but hadn’t bargained for just … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 19 – Nuwara Eliya

Horton Plains National Park is a beautiful, undulating plateau over 2000m above sea level covered with a mix of wild grasslads and thick forest. There are a number of walks in the park which start from the Farr Inn – … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 18 – Nuwara Eliya

There is not much in the way of interesting sights in Nuwara Eliya, apart from Victoria Park,  It is more of a base for trekking, walking and excursions.  Today we take a three-and-a-half hour walk to the top of Single … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 17 – Nuwara Eliya

Today we have a driver and guide to take us on a tour of the tea plantations, a tea factory and local waterfalls.  Sri Lanka is the world’s second largest tea producer after India and Mackwoods, who are the largest … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 16 – Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

It’s an early start to catch the train to Peradeniya for the onward connection to Nuwara Eliya in the heart of the hill country.  We have booked first class tickets in the observation car and are pleasantly surprised to discover … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 15 – Kandy

We are staying an extra two days in Kandy, mainly to slow down after the rather hectic three-day tour of the ancient cities, but also to do justice to Kandy.  The bus fare into Kandy sets us back 6 rupees, … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 14 – Kandy

The most important cultural and spiritual attraction in Kandy is the Tooth Relic Temple on the northern edge of the Lake.  The temple houses one of the Buddha’s teeth – probably the most important Buddhist relic in Sri Lanka and … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 13 – Kandy

Today is our first opportunity to try a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast;  most guest houses don’t offer it, serving instead the ubiquitous standard fare of stale, lightly toasted bread, jam, eggs – usually fried – tea or coffee and fruit.  A … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 12 – Sigiriya to Kandy

We decide to take a pragmatic approach over the travel arrangements and agree with Mustalif that he will take us as far as Dambulla today where the  we will catch the bus to Kandy. He is also going to arrange … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 11 – Polonnaruwa to Sigiriya

We stayed overnight at The Summer Village, which isn’t a village at all, but a small countryside guest house, just outside Polonnaruwa.  It proves to be a pleasant enough stopover and it has internet which, as we are beginning to … Continue reading

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